This invention concerns improvements in or relating to fittings for switches, sockets or the like and in particular, but not exclusively, with fittings to secure, hide or restrict access to electrical or data cables trailing from a plug or jack, whilst inserted into an electrical socket or data/telephone jack-point.
The electrical or data socket may be a wall-mounted socket faceplate, conventionally secured to its mounting box by screws, or a free standing unit, such as a multi point trailing socket or a video/data/modem jack point adaptor.
In our earlier UK Patent No. 2366457-B we describe a lockable cover for a switch or socket, the cover having a cover panel movably mounted on a frame that is either mountable to the wall around, and extending behind, the switch or socket faceplate, and thus between the faceplate and the switch or socket mounting box, or permanently attached to the front of the switch or socket mounting box.
The cover panel is movable between a closed position, where it completely covers and encloses the switch or socket faceplate and any plug therein, and an open position, where it is clear from and allows access to the faceplate. The cover panel is latched in the closed position and is provided with key-operated locking means enabling the cover panel to be secured shut in the closed position.
Depending on the exact design of the frame and the cover panel, it may be desirable to provide the cover panel with an open slot for passage of the lead of a plug that allows the cover panel to be opened and closed when the plug is in place.
If desired the slot can be fitted with a sealing grommet, of rubber or some similar flexible material, to form a tight fit with the lead and so leave no significant room for a child's prying fingers or a screwdriver. With this arrangement, forces can be applied to the plug by pulling the cable and it may be possible to disconnect the plug or in extreme cases to break the cable which is undesirable.
The present invention seeks to provide an arrangement for securing the lead to inhibit disconnecting the plug by pulling the lead.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cover panel movably mounted upon a frame for shrouding a socket and a plug therein, in which the cover panel and/or frame is arranged to define a cable slot through which a cable lead of a plug in the socket may extend, the cable slot being arranged to grip the protruding cable lead in such a way that it provides a significant degree of resistance against a pulling force applied to the cable lead externally of the cover panel.
By gripping the cable lead, should an attempt be made to remove the plug and cable either by pulling or wrenching at the cable lead in a forceful manner, the plug and cable are protected from being disconnected.
Preferably, the slot is defined by the frame. In this way, the cable tie transfers pulling forces applied to the cable to the frame which is better able to withstand the forces. In this way, the application of forces to the cover panel which could result in forcing of the latch/lock mechanism used to secure the cover panel closed can be avoided.
The cable lead can be gripped in a number of different ways. The cover panel may be mounted for pivotal or sliding movement between the open and closed positions.
One particular method is to arrange the slot to allow directional movement of the cable lead passing through the slot towards the socket, but resist any backward movement of the cable lead out of or away from the socket and cover panel. For example, a series of resilient flaps may be provided around the cable slot to form an inverted cone pointing inwardly towards the underside of the cover and the base of the plug from which the cable emerges. The angle, shape and construction of the flaps may be chosen to allow the flaps to bend and yield sufficiently as desired for passage of the cable lead towards the socket while resisting return movement. For example, the flaps may be of triangular shape.
Another method employs cable ties that are either mounted on the frame, or are an integral part of the frame, in a location that allows the cable lead from any plug attached to the socket to be securely fastened within the confines of the cover panel. For example, the cable tie may be fastened to grip and anchor the cable lead to resist the plug being pulled out of the socket by pulling the cable lead. Typically, for UK electrical sockets, the cable tie will be secured to the lower perimeter wall of the frame.
In one arrangement, the cable tie may comprise a flexible strap capable of being fastened around the cable to hold the cable. The strap may be integral with the frame. Alternatively, the strap may be separate from the frame and connected thereto during manufacture and/or during installation of the cover. The strap may be adjustable to accommodate different cable sizes. For example, the user may cut an integral strap to the required length for a given cable size. Alternatively, where the strap is separate, a set of straps of different length may be provided for selection and fitment of the appropriate strap for a given cable size.
In another arrangement, the cable tie may comprise a U-shaped clip releasably connectable to the frame. The clip is preferably arranged to resist removal from the frame under loads applied to the cable. The frame may have a bracket provided with apertures to receive and retain legs of the clip. The clip may be adjustable to accommodate different cable sizes.
In some embodiments the cable aperture is provided in the cover panel for passage of the cable lead held by the clip, and the cover panel preferably conceals the clip in the closed position. In another embodiment, the cable aperture is provided in the frame, and the cover panel preferably prevents removal of the cable tie in the closed position.
The frame may comprise a U-shaped member that extends on three sides of the socket and a cable tie member that extends on a fourth side of the socket between free ends of legs of the U-shaped member, and the cable tie is connected to the cable tie member. For example, the frame may be secured at a peripheral edge of a faceplate of the socket to which the cover is attached.
The socket may be adapted to receive at least one cable connector such as an electrical plug or a jack plug whereby the socket may provide an electrical connection point or a data/telephone/computer connection point.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a safety cover for a plug and socket connector, the safety cover having at least one aperture for a cable lead and a cable tie to hold the cable lead and inhibit disconnection of the connector by force applied to the cable lead externally of the cover.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a safety cover for a plug and socket connector, the safety cover having a frame with at least one aperture for passage of a cable lead and a cable tie to locate the cable lead such that forces applied to the cable are transferred to the frame.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of protecting a plug and socket connection comprising the steps of
a) providing a cover to conceal the connection in a closed position of a movable cover panel, the cover panel being movable to an open position allowing access to the connection,
b) providing the cover with a cable aperture for passage of a cable lead in the closed position of the cover panel, and
c) providing the cover with a cable tie to inhibit transmission of forces applied to the cable lead to the connection.
The invention in its various aspects may be applied to an integral socket/cover where the frame is an integral part of the socket and box, or to a cover which may be subsequently mounted by inserting a frame behind the faceplate of the socket.